Secrets Of Sage
by GoldGuardian2418
Summary: Sage is unsure of himself as his past bothers him and Zambanza also feels different. Can their Lauhinian fathers and Ecstacio help them see that they are part of them and more than what their pasts were? Written by guestsuprise per request of Steelcode. I only posted it for them. :)


**Steelcode, who owns Sage and Kardama, asked for this one. Here you go, Amigo! Enjoy! :) **

**Mythology belongs to its respective owners. Ecstacio, Zambanza, Jape, Damus, Tyina, and Optimo belong to guestsurprise. :)**

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**Secrets Of Sage**

Sage had just changed into his wolf form and he was battling some Nitians because they were trying to capture him.

"Get away from me!" He snarled.

"You will be the perfect present for Damus," one sneered.

"BACK OFF!" Sage hissed, now biting one. Nitians could never physically harm humans, but they could cause emotional hurt such as depression, anxiety, and emotional pain. They were trying to wear down Sage as much as possible.

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_Meanwhile…_

Zambanza was trying to forget a nearby experience. She had recently been captured by Damus and she felt like she no longer fit in with the royal family.

"Hey…," a voice soothed. She turned and saw Jape approaching on all fours. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," she said, now raising her wand. Now understanding her body language well, Jape approached more and stood on two legs. The clown then let out a squeak as he gently grabbed her wrists and pulled her where her back was to his chest.

"No, you are not fine. Now come here and tell me what's bothering you…," he said, now pulling her closer to him.

"J-Jape! I mean…father…I-I mean…," she said, now getting flustered. Affection made her beyond nervous!

"I love it when you're speechless, little one; those walls need to come down anyway," he said, now nuzzling her neck. That did it! Zambanza broke away and the purple prince ran after her! "Come here!"

"N-NO! I DON'T NEED EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!" She said, now feeling him pounce at her and the two went tumbling down a deep hole. As they landed in some pink goop, Jape used his legs and arms to keep the surrounding goop from hugging and squeezing them! His legs were at 90 degrees and his arms were spread out. Zambanza had already landed on his stomach so they were in an awkward position.

"W-WHAT IS THIS PLACE?!" She gasped.

"We are in the cuddle caverns," Jape said, now keeping the goop from coming closer. "They come as close as possible and cuddle whoever needs it."

"WHAT?! GET ME OUTTA HERE!" She said, now trying to get free.

"Hey, hey…don't panic. They only cuddle to assist you," he said. "I simply don't want the cuddles because I just brushed my own fur."

"Great! Now we're trapped here!" She said, now getting grumpy.

"No, we aren't; all you have to do is tell me what's wrong and I'll teleport us out. If you do not…I will let it get you," he smirked.

"Jape! Father, no!" She said, now looking up at her Lauhinian father.

"One…," he started, now smiling deviously.

"Jape, please! No!" she said, now trying to get off his stomach, but his tail wrapped around her to keep her pinned.

"Two…," he said.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" She screamed out, now trying to get loose.

"Three!" He said, now releasing the goop. As uncomfortable as this was, he knew Zambanza needed to get this out of her system. He put his legs down and his arms and he grabbed her by her waist as the goop enveloped them both. She, after a few moments, could only feel his warm hugs and fur and the cuddles of the soft goop. "Shhh…shhhh…it's alright…," he soothed in her ears. "Now…tell me what happened."

Zambanza tried to protest, but the gentle cuddles and coos from her father made it hard; she was a blushing and giggling mess.

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_Meanwhile…_

Two Nitians had grabbed Sage and he was struggling to get free. As he bit one of them, he panicked as one threw a bag on him!

"NO! HELP ME! SOMEONE, HELP!" Sage called out, hoping someone heard him. As he was being stuffed in the bag, he smelled the scent of a powerful being and he heard a low growl. "Thank goodness."

There was only one Lauhinian besides Lauhin that could make Nitians tremble with just his presence…Ecstacio.

Sage heard punches and blows and shouts of the Nitians and soon he was dropped roughly on the ground by one of them. Once he could hear the Nitians run off, he could hear Ecstacio slowly retreating.

"Hey! Ecstacio, come on! At least let me get the bag off and thank you," Sage said, now trying to get free from the bag.

"You are free…I need no forms of gratitude," Ecstacio said, understanding his wolf language.

"Ecstacio…c'mon…at least wait a second," Sage chuckled, now sticking his lower half out and trying to get his upper half free. "Can I at least get a hand?"

Ecstacio rolled his eyes and walked over and helped free the wolf. Once Sage was free, he transformed back into his human form and approached the great beast.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome," Ecstacio said, now turning to leave.

"Ecstacio wait…please…," Sage said, now running in front of him. "I'm glad you came to help me; I have been meaning to talk to you."

"About?" Came the dry response.

"About me…there's more to me than you know," Sage said. "Can we please talk? At least for a few minutes?" He then approached the great beast more and looked up at him. "Please?"

Ecstacio nodded and watched as Sage sat down on the ground and then he followed suite.

"Ecstacio…I'm more than Optimo's son. I learned that Kardama, the evil ancient Nitian, was really my birth father in disguise. He is responsible for me being born; he used magic to make my mom have me," Sage said. "I'm just…an experiment."

He then noticed that Ecstacio only looked at him; the large being did not even blink at what was being mentioned. Sage leaned forward a bit in confusion.

"Ecstacio? Did…any of that make sense?" Sage asked.

"I understand it well. And I am also aware of what happened to you," came the low response.

"Wait! So you know?" Sage asked.

"Yes…," Ecstacio replied. "I was in a meeting with the others last week and they informed me about you."

Sage was now concerned; he was in the middle of the forest with a being who absolutely despised Nitians. He didn't realize what kind of danger he was in! Ecstacio's eyes glowed a bit and then the glow dulled.

"I will not destroy you; you are far from an experiment. If you were an experiment, you would have died by now. Nitian experiments self-destruct within a few days." Ecstacio explained.

"So…I am a real…being?" Sage said. He knew he was a human, but with all the changes he heard, he was somewhat unsure.

"Of course you are real. They simply created your body; your mother's blood and Lauhinian blood sustained you. However, if you feel you are part of the Nitians, then the alternative is to let Lauhin re-create you." Ecstacio said.

"Wait, what?!" Sage said in shock.

"Lauhin, Bliss, and I are capable of re-creating anything that was assisted by Nitian magic; however, it is a dangerous process and could possibly destroy you. Therefore, I would not advise it," Ecstacio said. Sage nodded and then leaned forward.

"I know you haven't been a fan of humans, but I do appreciate you telling me," he said calmly. He saw Ecstacio shift, knowing affection wasn't anything he liked to discuss.

"Human affection does not need to be given to me; I am simply here because you needed help," Ecstacio replied, but his eyes widened somewhat as Sage got closer.

"But you still came to help me," Sage smiled.

"You are getting far too comfortable with me," Ecstacio said, now arching an eyebrow.

"I would like you to train me…I like learning from you, Optimo, and Lauhin," Sage said.

"Impossible…I rarely train humans. You all cannot keep up with my regimen," Ecstacio replied without emotion.

"I'm not just a human," Sage chuckled, now getting closer. "C'mon…I'm your nephew, right?"

"We are not related in that way…you are Optimo's spawn," Ecstacio said.

"But I consider you my uncle," Sage smiled, now being even more persistent. He wanted to break down Ecstacio's walls, even though he heard it was going to be very difficult. Ecstacio only looked at him and then disappeared into thin air, making Sage pout a bit.

"Wait a second! I wasn't done! I still have questions!" Sage said.

"Until we meet again," the voice said on the wind. But Sage was determined; one day, he would get Ecstacio to talk to him and to have a real conversation.

Sage then transformed back into his wolf form and heard squealing of laughter coming from a cave in the ground. As he looked approached it and looked down, he saw Jape and some kind of putty surrounding Zambanza.

"What is happening?" He thought, now seeing Zambanza giggle and Jape continually cuddling her.

"Now let's get that fear of affection out of you," Jape said, now nuzzling more into her neck and hugging her. He then glanced and saw Sage looking down. "Sage…come and join us."

Sage then transformed back into his human form and then looked a bit down; the more the Lauhinians and others were happy, the more he felt like he didn't belong.

"Well…I…," he started.

"He would love to," a deep voice said. Sage turned and saw Optimo smiling at him; he sensed that Sage was somewhere near and he sensed his sadness.

"Father? What are you HEY!" Sage said as Optimo picked him up and tossed him into the cavern and then dove down after him.

Sage landed in a large bundle of warm goop that seemed to cuddle him; it felt like a warm fluffy blanket! He then looked over and saw Zambanza was next to him and Jape and Optimo were approaching them. Soon both of them were sandwiched between the prince and the captain.

"You both needed this," Jape said.

"We could sense your fear and anxiety, but you both belong here and in our family," Optimo said.

"Well…," Zambanza started. "After Damus got me…I felt like…I…I am just…too different."

"Zambanza, that's not true," Sage said, now hugging her too.

"EEEEK! Sage!" She squealed.

"C'mon, easy…you're part of my family too, ya know," he chuckled, now feeling her playfully nudge him and hug him back.

"Be happy I'm not Tyina…she's afraid of wolves," Zambanza teased.

"Oh, really?" Sage smirked.

"Yeah…but of course I'm not afraid of EEEEEEEEEEK! STAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!" The clown girl laughed as Sage tickled her arms and stomach.

"You are just too adorable to be grumpy," he chuckled, but then he started laughing as Optimo reached a hand around and tickled his stomach!

"And you need to believe that you are truly part of us and not a Nitian…," Optimo smirked, now leaning over his son's shoulder.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAH OKAY, OKAY! Father, I know!" Sage laughed. Jape could only laugh at the scene.

"Well, you all are a pile of giggles, aren't you…," he said, but his eyes widened as Optimo looked at him.

"And you are not exempt, Prince Jape; I trained all of you, remember?" Optimo chuckled.

"Now you stay away!" Jape said, but he gasped as Optimo let Sage go and pounced at him. Zambanza and Sage could only laugh as Optimo then tickled Jape to make him laugh. There was plenty of joy for everyone; especially when they worked through trouble as a family…and with the help of a cuddle cavern.

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**guestsurprise's words: ****I hope you all enjoyed it! This was a request for Steelcode! **

**To guestsurprise: What a great story! :) Love how Optimo and Jape take on the father role for Sage and Zambanza. :) **

**To everyone else: Please leave guestsurprise a review, but no flames! **

**GoldGuardian2418 **


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